Millstream announce 27 percent rise in NHS related electronic tender notices

Leading e-tendering service provider Millstream Associates will be showcasing their flagship product Tenders Direct, at Stand A54 at the NHS Confederation annual conference in Liverpool (June 3-5).

Although it’s a controversial subject, NHS clinical services are increasingly being contracted out, primarily to private sector firms. Many NHS Trusts engage in commercial activity using excess capacity to provide services to other sections of the NHS. These services are managed on a commercial basis and the significant financial profits are then re-invested in improving facilities for NHS patients.

Dozens of Primary and Secondary care NHS Trusts rely on Tenders Direct to identify suitable opportunities to support their commercial activities.

More than 600 private sector companies also use Tenders Direct to find new business opportunities covering everything from mental health services, GP and out-of-hours services to diagnostics such as blood tests, X-rays and scans.

In the last 12 months Tenders Direct has sourced over 6,500 healthcare related tender notices, which is a 27% uplift in the number of healthcare and NHS related electronic tenders from the previous year*. The NHS Support Federation[1] which opposes a competitive market in the NHS, said that private firms were winning 70% of NHS contracts.

This year tender notices have featured healthcare related services, including; nursing services, mental health, pharmaceuticals and medical consumables. With the most notable increases in healthcare related categories being; Healthy Living (75%), Weight Management (62%), Nursing and Domiciliary care (49%) and Smoking Cessation (46%).

Tenders Direct managing director Tim Williams said: “Healthcare is a major area for procurement, with many NHS Trusts publishing electronic tender notices to attract a good number of quality bids, and therefore a wide range of options to chose from when they are awarding a tender for a specific piece of work.

The NHS Confederation conference programme includes a session on EU procurement, improving quality, shaping the reformed system and rising to the financial challenge. Mr Williams adds, 

“The NHS Confederation event is an important opportunity for us to help both NHS Trusts and private sector companies to find and win new business.”

Look out for Millstream Associates at Stand A54 at the NHS Confederation conference and exhibition at the ACC Liverpool from June 3-5.